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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-4 h | 1-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality |